ComplaintsforTop Line Automotive

• Initial Complaint

  01/03/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ********** Inv ****** **** ****** ***** -Last 5 of *** ***** Service Writer- **** Vehicle was taken in because Light appeared on Dash. We were advised *** wouldn't turn on. Per **** we were told that fan and reservoir was being replaced. vehicle was picked up and i drove the vehicle to work. It sat there my whole shift and when it was time to go home I proceeded to start my car and my red light was back on. I popped the hood to find the reservoir cap was not on there. The coolant had all evaporated of spilled out. I capped it off with fluid I had in the car to be able to get home that night. This happened over Thanksgiving break and the shop was closed. so we were unable to take the car back until ********** (during that time the vehicle was not driven) They (topline) replenished the fluid and fixed the reservoir cap supposedly. Come to find out after they zip tied a random cap to my reservoir that didn't belong to my car. car continues to overheat after it was "fixed" Car was again returned to topline for a third time ********* I was advised they didn't do that kind of work on vehicles and that their mechanic was out, in Mexico on a leave. The car was over heating still because one of the heads was now blown. They advised they wouldn't charge for Diagnostics and said to pick up the car and basically. They didn't want to deal with me or their negligence or mistakes. Dec 21 vehicle had to be towed to another shop. (Glovebox was broken, wasnt when we left it there as well) We tried several attempts to obtain their Insurance information. we were denied that information..

  Business response

  04/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/03/22) */ Upon arrival to the shop on november 24th, MILEAGE 176295 AS STATED ON THE SIGNED PAPERWORK PROVIDED TO CLIENT "CLIENT STATED COOLING SYSTEM WAS EMPTY COUPLE DAYS PRIOR AND SAW RED COOLANT LIGHT ON DASH. ADDED COOLANT AND NEXT DAY CHECKED COOLANT LEVEL AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING INSIDE SYSTEM PRESSURIZED COOLING SYSTEM VEHICLE HELD 15PSI OF PRESSURE FOR ABOUT 30 MINS ONCE SYSTEM WAS CONFIRMED TO BE HOLDING PRESSURE CHECKED COOLING FAN RELAY AND FUSES AND CHECKED FOR PROPER OPERATION FUSES AND RELAYS CHECKED OUT OKAY BUT FAN WOULD NOT TURN ON SENT POWER STRAIGHT TO FAN AND FAN STILL WOULD NOT TURN NOT RECOMMEND REPAIR IS TO REPLACE COOLING FAN AND RECHECK FOR PROPER OPERATION UNSURE IF INTERNAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO ENGINE DUE TO OVERHEATING IT IS POSSIBLE VEHICLE GOT SO HOT IT CAUSED COOLING TO LEAVE VEHICLE DUE TO IT GETTING TO A BOILING POINT" we found the cooling system fan not working. Again the client stated he had been driving around for a period of days in this condition. And again the day before he arrived for the first time he stated that the day prior he noticed no coolant in the bottle and topped it off. Driving like this will lead to overheating of the vehicle and stated on the paperwork that we are unsure of the internal engine parts because of the story this person gave of already driving this vehicle around for some time with overheating present and a fan not working. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE FAN AND COOLANT RESERVOIR the reservoir is sold with a new cap and both pieces are sold as 1 unit from the parts provider. So the statement that a random cap was added on was not true. The vehicle part was sold with a new cap with the bottle and pictures of the part installed can be provided. November 30th mileage 176324 As written on the invoice on november 30th "VEHICLE CAME IN WITH THE CAP NOT ON BOTTLE AND CLIENT HAD RESERVOIR OVERFILLED WHICH RESULTED IN CAR LEAKING COOLANT SUCKED OUT COOLANT TO CORRECT LEVEL AND FOUND CAP TO BE SITTING ON SPLASH SHIELD AT BOTTOM OF VEHICLE ONCE COOLANT WAS AT CORRECT LEVEL RAN VEHICLE FOR TOTAL ABOUT 4-5 HOURS AT IDLE TO MONITOR TO SEE IF CAP WOULD BLOW OFF OR IF COOLANT WOULD START LEAKING CAP DID NOT BLOW OFF AND NO LEAKS AT THIS TIME DID PUT A ZIP TIE AROUND CAP TO HELP BETTER SECURE CAP TO THE BOTTLE CLIENT WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON LEVEL AND CAP TO MAKE SURE IT IS CORRECT" Now the client stated he added coolant and preceded to drive the vehicle home that night after seeing that the vehicle had no cap on it due to it blowing off from pressure in the system.(november 24th ) During this time and before the car came are all events in which the vehicle should not have been driven because a fault was present with the vehicle. It was the statement of the client that the vehicle was not driven however that is not true as the vehicle was driven in on the 30th and the report from the client they state they drove home knowing the vehicle had a cap missing. The zip tie was provided as support to keep the cap in place after it came off. The zip tie was shown to the client on the 30th of november. Client was advised on the paperwork and in person to monitor the car and advise us on the condition. December 10th 2021 As stated on the client paperwork "VEHICLE CAME IN WITH OVERHEATING CONCERN. STARTED VEHICLE AND MONITORED TEMPERATURE AND FOUND THAT TEMP REACHED OPERATING TEMP BUT THE HOSES TO RADIATOR WERE STIFF INDICATING A STUCK THERMOSTAT. WHEN THE THERMOSTAT WAS INSPECTED IT WAS FOUND IN A STUCK CLOSED POSITION. THAT WAS REPLACED AND SYSTEM WAS RECHECKED. PRESSURE TESTING WAS ABLE TO SPOT A SMALL LEAK COMING FROM BYPASS PIPE UNDER INTAKE MANIFOLD. PIPE WAS REPLACED, SYSTEM AGAIN WAS MONITORED AS OPERATING TEMP WAS REACHED INSIDE THE COOLANT BOTTLE COOLANT CAN BE SEEN BUBBLING IN RESERVOIR. SUSPECT CRANKCASE GASSES ARE GETTING INTO COOLING SYSTEM CAUSING BUBBLING. FURTHER TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION IS REQUIRED TO PINPOINT FAULT SOURCE" So when they returned on the 10th of december with an overheating present again. As no mention of the overheating was provided by the client from the 30th of november to the 10th. He stated that he had been just driving locally to the gym without issue and it was not until driving a total of 140 miles that a problem developed. A more indepth look at the cooling system was done by performing a leak down test. This test showed that the head gasket was leaking allowing gasses to get into the cooling system which allowed for pressure build up and that was what blew off the cap. As stated before we were unsure of any further damage that was present based on the story of the client and we cannot test drive a vehicle into the 100's of miles. During the testing the thermostat was found melted and stuck and further testing showed that the head gasket was leaking. Again stated in the paperwork was a clear label about unknown damage based on the driving that was done prior to it coming to the shop. The client was not accepted back because of a safety policy to protect our employees, any attempt or direct threats of violence, cursing, vulgar attitude, and or name calling will not be accepted by patrons of our estabilshment. Business Response /* (-10, 6, 2022/03/22) */ Business supplied email: **************************** Use this address for any contact with the Better Business Bureau

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